Conroe woman living in tent gets caught in storm

Published 6:54 am, Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Christine Clarke, a homeless woman, spent a night in the rain after the storm hit.

Christine Clarke, a homeless woman, spent a night in the rain after the storm hit.

Photo: Petrina Johnson

Conroe woman living in tent gets caught in storm

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The recent flood in the Houston area has caused billions of dollars worth of damage leaving many in need of assistance.

Several victims of the storm are receiving help through Red Cross shelters that are setup at churches in various counties.

When Christine Clarke, a homeless woman, spent a night in the rain after the storm hit, she walked in the rain seeking help. She was able to get assistance at the Red Cross shelter located at the First United Methodist Church on 4308 West Davis St. in Conroe.

“I have been homeless for about a month, and I was living in my tent when it began to rain. It was raining so hard, it was really scary,” she said.

After getting evicted from her home, Clarke was forced to live in her tent in the woods. The rain and heavy winds blew her only form of shelter away and safety soon became a priority.

“I started walking to find higher ground, it was really bad and I found a parking lot but it began flooding, the rain was coming down like cats and dogs,” she explained.

Fortunately after one night in the rain, Clarke was able to make it to FUMC and get off the streets. Volunteer Andy Jones said the church has opened up their facility on behalf of the Red Cross.

The Red Cross shelter at FUMC assists those needing food and shelter.

According to Jones if someone needs medical assistance, they will provide referrals. At this time, he does not know when the shelter will shut down, but as of now they are a designated facility for the Red Cross.

“Our facilities are open and volunteers are available to help those in need of assistance.”